Eden

Eden's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in average age, work life and health.

The population passed 50,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Eden increased by 5.6%, from just under 49,800 to 52,600.

The addition of just under 2,800 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Eden was home to, on average, 0.18 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it England's least densely-populated district.

Population density was lower than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Eden

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Eden increased by four years, from 42 to 46 years.

This agricultural area had a higher average age than the North West and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 2,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 15% of people in Eden are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Eden by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Eden

Eden saw England's second-largest fall in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (89%) in Eden reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities, compared with 90% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.6% to 3.3%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability occurred in Isles of Scilly (from 92% to 90%).

Because of its small size, comparisons to Isles of Scilly should be made with caution.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Eden working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 21% to 16% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the North West. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of people working long hours.

Ribble Valley had the North West's second highest proportion of people working long hours (13%), while South Lakeland had the region's third highest proportion (11%).

Long hour working in Eden decreased by 5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Eden, the North West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Eden saw the North West's largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.3%) households in Eden had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 10% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 27% to 24%.

Across the region, Salford saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 10% in 2001 to 9.2% in 2011).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Eden residents that were self-employed remained close to 17% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in two (51%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 49% in 2001. The percentage of Eden residents that were unemployed increased from 2.0% to 2.1%.

The proportion of self-employed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.1% in 2001 to 8.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.2% to 9.7%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health fell in Eden, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the North West, except Manchester and Liverpool.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the North West saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 11% to 6.8%.

Across the North West, the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell from 11% to 6.8% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in South Lakeland (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Eden) fell from 8.6% to 4.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Eden decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Eden, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

Private renting increased in Eden, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the North West, except Copeland and Allerdale.

Every local authority area across the North West saw a rise in the proportion of privately rented homes, as the regional average grew from 8.5% to 15%.

Private renting was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that rented privately across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Eden

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 22% said they had no religion. An increase from 12% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Eden.

Across the North West, the percentage of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from 11% to 21%, while across England the percentage went from 16% to 27%.

Around 77% of those who disclosed their religion in Eden said they were Christian, down from 87% in 2001. About 0.0% said they were Sikh, up from 0.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation rose from 7.2% to 8.3% between the last two censuses.

In Eden, 8.3% chose not to disclose their religious affiliation. In North West the percentage was 6.7% and across England the percentage was 7.8%.

The population without a religion in Eden increased by 9.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Eden by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Eden

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Eden, but at a slower rate than across the North West.

In Eden, the proportion of single people increased from 24% in 2001 to 27% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 30% to 36%.

Across the North West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 30% to 36%.

The proportion of married people in Eden fell from 58% to 55%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 8.9% to 10%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of one-person households increased in Eden at a faster rate than across England.

In Eden, the proportion of one-person households increased from 28% in 2001 to 30% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 30% to 30%.

Across the North West, the share of one-person households increased from 31% to 32%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Eden increased from 7.5% to 8.5%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 43% to 38%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Eden

In 2011, 99% of the local population said they were from the White ethnic groups. An increase from 100% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Eden.

Across the North West, the percentage of residents from the White ethnic groups fell from 94% to 90%, while across England the percentage went from 91% to 85%.

Around 0.6% of people in Eden said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 0.2% in 2001. About 0.4% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from 0.2% 10 years prior.

The percentage of residents from the Other ethnic groups (Arab or any other ethnic group) rose from 0.0% to 0.1% between the last two censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Eden remained close to 99%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Eden by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Eden residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.7% to 2.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.4% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Eden remained close to 2.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Eden by care, March 2001 and March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links